America's First 'Electric Highway' Will Be Up And Running Within Months

A newly-installed charging station at
Central Point Chevorn, located about 220 miles south of Salem,
Oregon.

As more electric cars begin rolling off production lines, the
need for infrastructure to support alternative-energy vehicles
becomes increasingly vital.

Washington has been prepping its roadways for the future wave of
electric cars for more than a year by planning an extensive
network of recharging stations in the nation's first "Electric
Highway."

The state hopes that by eliminating "range anxiety" — the fear of
running out of battery power and constant bane of the electric
vehicle industry — it will encourage users to invest in the
latest generation of electric cars.

"What stops people from purchasing electric vehicles is not
knowing what charging will be available," said Tonia Buell,
project development and communication manager at the Washington
State Department of Transportation.

The sustainable-fuel highway means electric-vehicle owners will
have the confidence to travel long distances if easy and
convenient charging stations are available.

Washington's electric highway is actually part of a larger,
tri-state initiative known as the West Coast Green Highway,
involving Washington, Oregon, and California.

The goal is to create the first border-to-border electric-vehicle
friendly interstate that links British Columbia to Baja,
California.

According to the Washington State Department of Transportation
(WSDOT), the project will create 1,350 electrified miles on
Interstate 5, serving
more than 2 million vehicles by 2020.

The state received $1.32 million in federal stimulus money from
the U.S. Department of Energy. A mix of funding from private
businesses and other public agencies will help cover other
costs.

In July, the WSDOT gave California-based AeroVironment a $1-million contract
to outfit I-5 and U.S. 2 with a network of nine fast-charging
stations by Nov. 30. That completion date has been pushed back to
next year while the contractor continues work out lease
agreements and nail down final locations.

The plan calls for electric charging stations to be placed every
40 to 60 miles along portions of I-5 between Canada and Oregon.
The total distance is around 276 miles. Charging stations will
also be installed on U.S. 2 along the Stevens Pass
Greenway, linking the west coast to North Central Washington.

The project will be supplemented by the installation of more 50
fast-charging stations in the Pacific Northwest through the
EV project.

Most importantly, the location and spacing of the charging
stations enables electric vehicle drivers to travel long
distances without worrying about running out of juice.

"The goal is to have everything up an running by early 2012,"
said Buell.

And now, we wait.

(In the meantime, check out this project map showing the planned
electric highway route and location of proposed charging
stations):